Giving third place to team-mate Valtteri Bottas has won Hamilton applause but the move should guarantee Mercedes’ full backing when the F1 title is decidedLewis Hamilton knows giving third place back to Valtteri Bottas at the Hungaroring on Sunday might cost him in the Formula One title battle but insisted it was the right thing to do. He has been applauded for doing so and rightly. In the cut-throat business of a championship fight, few drivers would have felt it necessary. Indeed Sebastian Vettel showed his ruthless streak in doing the opposite by overtaking Mark Webber at Malaysia in 2013 during the “multi-21 incident”. Hamilton may regret it come the end of the season and Mercedes may equally regret not throwing their weight behind one driver as Ferrari have so clearly done but they insist it is not how they go racing. One further outcome seems likely however. With his gesture Hamilton is assured that should it come to the time when Mercedes chose to back him fully, he has established a good enough relationship to ensure co-operation from his team-mate – which might pay off handsomely when it really matters. Related: Lewis Hamilton adamant that he and Mercedes can still win F1 world title Related: Fernando Alonso’s Indy 500 move signals new McLaren era under Zak Brown | Giles Richards Related: F1: Sebastian Vettel wins Hungarian Grand Prix – as it happened Continue reading...

• Briton ready to recharge during summer break • ‘I definitely think the break has come at a good time’Lewis Hamilton believes he can still win the Formula One world championship but has insisted it will take a concerted effort from him and his Mercedes team.The British driver was fourth in Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix and dropped further points to his title rival Sebastian Vettel when he switched track position with his own team-mate, Valtteri Bottas, having agreed to do so earlier in the race. His action was applauded but it might prove to be crucial in the championship. He later admitted it was a decision driven by emotion rather than clinical ambition. Related: Lewis Hamilton may keep racing until he has more F1 titles than Vettel Continue reading...

Collision between Red Bulls ends Australian’s race in HungaryVerstappen apologises and says they will ‘sort it out in private’Max Verstappen says he will try to smooth over his relationship with team-mate Daniel Ricciardo after enraging the Australian by ending his Hungarian Grand Prix on the opening lap.Verstappen apologised after driving into side of the Riccirado’s Red Bull car as they came through the fourth turn, although he insisted it was accidental. Ricciardo, who maintains fourth place in Formula One championships standings, had passed the 19-year-old into turn two to move up to fourth having started from sixth on the grid. Related: ‘I am a man of my word,’ says Lewis Hamilton after giving up podium place Continue reading...

• Vettel ‘over the moon’ after holding off late Lewis Hamilton charge• Kimi Raikkonen second as Hamilton hands third place to Valtteri BottasSebastian Vettel drove to victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix, staving off handling problems and charges from both his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton to convert his pole into a win.Vettel had been visibly slower than both the two chasing cars but Ferrari chose not to pull him over in favour of Raikkonen and it was the right call as passing proved almost impossible at the Hungaroring. Raikkonen finished in second and Hamilton ultimately in fourth having given the third place spot he had inherited from his Mercedes team-mate, Valtteri Bottas, back to the Finn at the end. Related: F1: Sebastian Vettel wins Hungarian Grand Prix – live! Related: Charles Leclerc tipped to be next shooting star of F1 | Giles Richards Continue reading...

Lap-by-lap updates as Sebastian Vettel starts on poleVettel and Raikkonen seal Ferrari one-two in qualifyingThe Recap: sign up for the best of our sport coverageAnd email Lawrence or tweet @LawrenceOstlere 12.31pm BST 1 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 2 Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)3 Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 4 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)5 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 6 Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull)7 Fernando Alonso (McLaren) 8 Stoffel Vandoorne (McLaren)9 Carlos Sainz Jnr (Toro Rosso) 10 Jolyon Palmer (Renault)11 Esteban Ocon (Force India) 12 Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)13 Sergio Perez (Force India) 14 Romain Grosjean (Haas)15 Kevin Magnussen (Haas) 16 Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso)17 Lance Stroll (Williams) 18 Pascal Wehrlein (Sauber) 19 Paul di Resta (Williams) 20 Marcus Ericsson (Sauber) 11.57pm BST After his dominance of Silverstone, Saturday was supposed to be the moment Lewis Hamilton equalled Michael Schumacher’s record of 68 poles, which had stood untouched for 11 years. Instead, those expecting Hamilton to drive off into the distance with the championship got a surprise – and a welcome one for fans of a title dust up. Ferrari were much too quick for Mercedes around the Hungaroring, where Sebastian Vettel qualified on pole for today’s race alongside his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen second. “The car was phenomenal and when I saw it was two reds up front I let out a big scream,” said Vettel after qualifying. “It’s only Saturday of course and the big challenge comes tomorrow, but after all the talk after the last race [that Ferrari were finished] it was good to give the answer on the track.” If Hamilton is to claim a sixth win at one of his favourite circuits, and protect his one-point lead at the top of the drivers’ championship, he will have to do it the hard way. Continue reading...

Red Bull driver is feeling positive before the Hungarian Grand Prix despite suffering everything from engine failure to a dud battery this seasonThere is a refreshing lack of artifice when Max Verstappen makes a case. The Red Bull driver is as happy to be honest off-track as he is uncompromising on it. The young Dutchman has never been shy of backing himself and, 10 races into what has been a trying season, his directness suggests he has learned from his travails and moved on. A better, more rounded driver has emerged. Related: Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen claim Ferrari front row at Hungarian GP Related: Max Verstappen: ‘My biggest critic is my dad. Everything else is just a breeze’ Continue reading...

• Vettel takes pole position ahead of team-mate Raikkonen in Budapest• Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton can only manage fourth on the gridSebastian Vettel headed a Ferrari one-two for the Hungarian Grand Prix, putting in a fine lap to take pole in front of his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen in qualifying. The Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas was in third but Lewis Hamilton could manage only fourth on the grid, his attempt to equal Michael Schumacher’s record of 68 pole positions denied after he could not quite find the balance of the car he was happy with.This is Vettel’s second pole position of the season, having taken the top spot in Russia and it is the third time he has claimed pole in Hungary, having done so twice before for Red Bull in 2010 and 2011. The German’s 48th career pole is Ferrari’s third this year after Raikkonen also took pole in Monaco and while the Scuderia are still generally behind Mercedes over the single lap discipline, they have proved that they can take advantage on tracks where power is not such a prominent factor. Related: Paul di Resta replaces unwell Felipe Massa for Williams at F1 Hungarian GP Continue reading...

• Massa forced to withdraw before qualifying because of illness• Di Resta’s last Formula One race was for Force India in 2013The British driver Paul di Resta will replace Felipe Massa in the Williams for the Hungarian Grand Prix after the Brazilian had to withdraw because of sickness. It marks a return to Formula One for the Williams reserve driver whose last race was for Force India in Brazil in 2013. Related: Charles Leclerc tipped to be next shooting star of F1 | Giles Richards Continue reading...

The 19-year-old Monégasque tests with Ferrari next week after dominating the Formula Two season, setting seven consecutive poles from the first seven racesMaking it to Formula One is a difficult business and the dream of reaching the rarefied heights of motor sport’s ladder is so often unfulfilled. But sometimes talent will out and in the case of Charles Leclerc it seems a matter of when, not if, the young driver will join the elite.After this weekend’s race at the Hungaroring the 19-year-old Leclerc will test for Ferrari here. His time in an F1 car will be closely observed such has been his rise through the junior formulas and, this season, Formula Two in which he has laid down a marker as a star of the future. Related: Lewis Hamilton longing for Budapest F1 love affair to continue Continue reading...

• Briton chasing victory No6 at favourite Hungaroring circuit• Hamilton fifth fastest as Daniel Ricciardo tops practice timesSilverstone is Lewis Hamilton’s home track but there is little doubt that the hot, dusty bowl of the Hungaroring is a circuit he enjoys like no other. With five wins here, Hamilton is the most successful driver to have raced in Budapest and both he and Mercedes are fired up to make it one more. His confidence is high and reflected in the strength of the relationship with the team, with whom he admitted he expected to see out the rest of his career. Related: Hungarian Grand Prix pivotal for F1 frontrunners and backmarkers | Giles Richards Continue reading...

• FIA has announced head-protection device will be mandatory from 2018• ‘It’s not just the looks, I don’t think it is necessary,’ says Red Bull driverSeveral Formula One drivers have spoken out strongly in opposition to the introduction of the halo cockpit protection system in the lead-up to the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend. Related: FIA defends decision to enforce F1 halo cockpit protection device for 2018 Related: Hungarian Grand Prix pivotal for F1 frontrunners and backmarkers | Giles Richards Continue reading...

Mercedes and Ferrari have identified the last race before the summer break as crucial but there will also be scrutiny for those not caught up in the title battleOnly one race remains before Formula One takes its annual rest for the summer – a break that after the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend may weigh heavier on some shoulders than others. The next few days will be potentially as instructive in the fight for the world championship as any we have seen thus far. Only a sliver separates Lewis Hamilton from Sebastian Vettel at the top of the table but Budapest has more import than just who will hold the lead when racing returns at Spa at the end of August.The gap between Mercedes and Ferrari has been close all season. From the moment the Scuderia hit the ground running at testing we saw a proper fight at the front. But with new regulations it was also clear that victory would not necessarily go to the swiftest at the start of the season but the team who could develop their car most effectively to its end. Related: FIA defends decision to enforce F1 halo cockpit protection device for 2018 Continue reading...

• FIA has received opposition from fans, teams and leading drivers• Device is designed to further protect drivers from head injuriesThe FIA has strongly defended its decision to enforce implementation of the halo cockpit protection device for the 2018 Formula One season. The sport’s governing body has received opposition from fans, the teams and criticism from leading participants in the sport but on Saturday rigorously championed its position on safety grounds.The halo device will be introduced next season and is designed to further protect drivers from head injuries. The decision to implement it was announced after an F1 strategy group meeting last Wednesday where it is understood only one team supported it use. Some drivers have been opposed to to its introduction from its inception. Lewis Hamilton originally described is as the “worst-looking modification” in F1 history. However he subsequently supported it after an FIA presentation demonstrated that the device increased the chances of surviving an incident by 17%. Related: F1 confirms controversial halo device will be mandatory for 2018 season Continue reading...

• Cockpit safety device will be required in all F1 cars next year • Move has been made to reduce injuries from flying debrisFormula One cars will look radically different next season after the sport’s governing body confirmed the controversial cockpit safety device known as the halo is to become mandatory.Following a meeting of the sport’s major players in Geneva yesterday, the FIA revealed it has given the go-ahead to introduce the concept next year. Related: Silverstone shines and Ricciardo dazzles while Wolff walks a fine line | Giles Richards Continue reading...

The British GP provided plenty of talking points, not least some stellar drives from the Red Bull team and another clumsy intervention from Daniil KvyatThe chief executive of the Formula One Group, Chase Carey, has now experienced his first British Grand Prix and will have an understanding of the passion for the sport in the UK. 345,000 fans were at Silverstone over the weekend and they created an atmosphere that is unmatched, their enthusiasm makes for a selling point that the media company that now owns F1 ought to appreciate. But the circuit cannot assume that will be the case nor that the new owners feel obliged to accommodate them. Related: Lewis Hamilton focused on title race amid questions over his future in F1 Related: Lewis Hamilton proud to rank among F1 greats after British Grand Prix win Continue reading...

Campaign groups argue that Bahrain’s association with glamour sport is used to ‘launder’ a more wholesome image for the countryThe cyclist Sonny Colbrelli secured prominent exposure for the name of his Bahrain Merida team early in the Tour de France, heading the group sprint at the end of the second stage in Liège before finishing a creditable sixth. The team’s leader, Ion Izagirre, crashed out on the first day, but Bahrain Merida has already established itself on the world tour, after star signing Vincenzo Nibali competed through three spectacular weeks in May to claim a third place finish in the Giro d’Italia.The cycling team, launched in January with an estimated £13.7m budget by Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifa, a son of the ruling King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, is the latest venture which will help promote the autocratically ruled, troubled country through an association with globally televised sporting events.According to experts appointed by the UN, Bahrain forces used “excessive, lethal force to disperse peaceful protestors”Bahrain’s harnessing of sport has helped deflect attention from reports of tortured detainees and death sentences Continue reading...

Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton has become only the second Briton after Jim Clark to win five times at the British Grand Prix. Here is the story of Clark's final win at Silverstone in 1967, 50 years on.

• Driver’s contract with Mercedes expires at end of next season• ‘In terms of contracts I can’t really say what is going to happen’Lewis Hamilton has said he is focused on winning his fourth Formula One world championship rather than his long-term future in the sport, after he drove to a dominant victory in Sunday’s British Grand Prix. He won at Silverstone with an inch-perfect run from pole to flag, while his title rival Sebastian Vettel suffered a puncture on the penultimate lap and could finish only in seventh. Vettel had enjoyed a 20-point lead in the championship but now the British driver trails him by a single point.Hamilton has won two of his three world championships with Mercedes, in 2014 and 2015 and has a contract with the team that runs until the end of the 2018 season. This year’s car is at the front of the field again and proved at Silverstone that it is developing very strongly. Hamilton would not confirm his plans for beyond next year but his obvious pleasure behind the wheel suggests he is in no hurry to stop racing. Related: Lewis Hamilton proud to rank among F1 greats after British Grand Prix win Related: Lewis Hamilton delivers F1 driving masterclass to win British Grand Prix Continue reading...

• ‘I couldn’t imagine matching Jim Clark and Ayrton Senna,’ says driver• Sebastian Vettel vows Ferrari will come back strong in HungaryLewis Hamilton has said he finds it difficult to comprehend being counted among the greats of Formula One after his win at the British Grand Prix on Sunday. His victory at Silverstone took him level with Jim Clark and Alain Prost on five wins at the race and his pole on Saturday put him two clear of Ayrton Senna and just one short of Michael Schumacher’s record.“I couldn’t imagine having the poles I have, matching the likes of Jim Clark and Ayrton Senna and having the Hamilton name amongst those stars,” he said. “I’m really proud and I have to really take it back again to the incredible dedication from my family, my dad.” Continue reading...

• Mercedes driver slashes deficit at the top of drivers’ standings to one point• Title rival Sebastian Vettel seventh after puncture on penultimate lapLewis Hamilton delivered exactly what an ecstatic home crowd had demanded with a masterclass at the British Grand Prix, leading from pole to flag, untroubled out front by his rivals. Late drama for Ferrari when they endured punctures at the death cost the Scuderia hugely. Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen was in third and Hamilton’s title rival Sebastian Vettel could manage only seventh after his tyre disintegrated on the penultimate lap. Hamilton’s team‑mate Valtteri Bottas put in a very strong run to come from ninth on the grid to second. Crucially Hamilton has now closed the deficit to Vettel in the Formula One world championship to just one point – a 19-point swing.Having already matched Jim Clark’s record of five poles at the British Grand Prix, Hamilton has now also equalled Clark and Alain Prost’s record of five wins at the race. His qualifying lap was half a second quicker than both the Ferraris, the largest advantage in the single lap discipline any driver has enjoyed this season and they proved unable to match him on the Sunday. Related: F1: Lewis Hamilton wins British Grand Prix as Sebastian Vettel finishes seventh – as it happened Continue reading...

Updates as Lewis Hamilton starts on pole at Silverstone, 1pm BSTHamilton gets Mercedes backing after equalling British GP pole recordFuture of the British Grand Prix: Silverstone, London – or nowhere?Email Ben or tweet @benfisherj to get in touch 12.24pm BST Hamilton’s been speaking and answering a couple of fans’ questions. How do you get so fast? “A lot of practice, a lot practice. I have just always wanted to go faster. This year we are working more as a unit than ever and the workmanship has been better than it’s ever been.” 12.12pm BST Refreshed from a two-day jolly in Mykonos, Lewis Hamilton got straight back into things to land pole in front of a home crowd at Silverstone on Saturday. It was not any old pole, though – a fifth here and the 67th time he’s been in driving seat in his career. In layman’s terms, he is just one short of Michael Schumachers’s total. After soaking up the sun in Greece, Hamilton – who grew up in Stevenage but moved to Monaco and now calls a ranch in Colorado home – reverted to type in Northamptonshire. He did, at least, escape the Kaiser Chiefs’ performance in Trafalgar Square on Wednesday. Just as well, then, he said he “grew up in wet and chilly conditions” after celebrating pole. Kimi Raikkonen will start alongside Hamilton on the grid while Sebastian Vettel begins from third. Hamilton’s Mercedes’ team-mate Valtteri Bottas will start from ninth. “I obviously have nothing to lose so we try to make a good race for the team and catch up on the podium,” Raikkonen said. As for those weather conditions, McLaren’s Fernando Alonso is predicting they will be “chaotic” today. The Spaniard is hoping it may work in his favour. “Hopefully it’ll stay like this tomorrow, weather-wise. I think we saw today with mixed conditions we can be fast, we can take extra risks because we are not in the points at the start, so let see.” 1.55pm BST Ben will be here soon enough. Until then, read Richard Williams on Silverstone’s rich history: A lot of tears will be shed this weekend over the potential demise of Silverstone as a grand prix venue in two years’ time, but they will not be universal. To some, the old second world war bomber base has outlived its era, ruined not so much by outdated facilities as by cack-handed attempts at modernisation. A glass pyramid might not have spoiled the Louvre courtyard, but the addition of the monstrous pits and hospitality complex called The Wing six years ago symbolises Silverstone’s failure to integrate past, present and future. Related: Silverstone’s history is buried under a characterless concrete desert | Richard Williams Continue reading...

F1 team with humble beginnings is still going strong at the age of 40 thanks to the man whose vision and determination brought a series of championship titles“The reason Williams is still here is because it is all Frank cares about. F1, this team and going racing,’” explains Sir Frank Williams’s daughter and the team’s deputy principal, Claire. She should know, having been born just a year before Williams formed the team that bears his name and which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. McLaren and Ferrari have been racing in Formula One for longer but no man has run an F1 team as long as Williams – it is the single-minded determination his daughter knows so well that has seen them through. Related: Lewis Hamilton takes pole for British F1 GP with Kimi Raikkonen second Continue reading...